NEW YORK (August 22, 2012) - Experts from government, private industry and academia will gather at the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) Auditorium on Broadway on Thursday, Sept. 20, for NYIT’s third cyber security conference. In an era when exposure to cyber vulnerability is increasing dramatically, experts will discuss how individuals and organizations can protect themselves against cyber attacks.

Threats to cyber security are escalating, yet statistics show that great risks ensue from the lack of proper protection. Recent reports state that Google discovers 9,500 new malicious sites each day; yet, according to McAfee data, “17 percent of the world” is surfing the internet without antivirus protection, with the United States ranking in the bottom five least protected countries.

“New technologies come with new liabilities, so we need to collaboratively and proactively identify risks and protect ourselves against potential hacker attacks,” said Nada Marie Anid, Ph.D., dean of NYIT’s School of Engineering and Computing Sciences, which offers robust academic programs in network security to teach students how to identify and solve security breaches.

The Conference keynote address, Defending Cyberspace: Are We Ready to Meet Emerging Cyber Threats?, will be delivered by Neal Ziring, Technical Director, Information Assurance Directorate, National Security Agency. He will discuss current and emerging cyber security vulnerabilities, and trends. Ziring will also explore key technology developments affecting our nation’s security and highlight the importance of building a skilled cyber workforce, as well as address the importance of building and maintaining strong industry, government, and academic partnerships to combat growing cyber threats.

The conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 5p.m. at the NYIT Auditorium on Broadway, 1871 Broadway between 61st and 62nd streets in Manhattan. For information about conference fees and discounts, visit nyit.edu/cybersecurity. Attendance at the conference qualifies for 5 Professional Development Hours (PDHs) for professional engineers/IT specialists.

Conference sponsors include New York Power Authority, CA Technologies, IBM, and PMC. For additional information, visit nyit.edu/cybersecurity.

About NYIT

New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) offers 90 degree programs, including undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees, in more than 50 fields of study, including architecture and design; arts and sciences; education; engineering and computing sciences; health professions; management; and osteopathic medicine. A non-profit independent, private institution of higher education, NYIT has 14,000 students attending campuses on Long Island and Manhattan, online, and at its global campuses. NYIT sponsors 11 NCAA Division II programs and one Division I team.

Led by President Edward Guiliano, NYIT is guided by its mission to provide career-oriented professional education, offer access to opportunity to all qualified students, and support applications-oriented research that benefits the larger world. To date, more than 92,000 graduates have received degrees from NYIT. For more information, visit nyit.edu.